


never about eve

by orphan_account



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, Drinking, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Light Angst, No Charlie Martin (Lucifer TV), Oblivious Mazikeen (Lucifer TV), Pining Linda Martin (Lucifer TV), Post-Episode: s04e10 Who's da New King of Hell?, Vacation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:49:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27088909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Linda decides enough is enough, and hauls a moping Maze off to Mexico in the hopes of helping her get over Eve's departure. Her plan is simple, and seemingly foolproof, but she doesn't count on her own long-buried feelings make a guest appearance...
Relationships: Linda Martin/Mazikeen (Lucifer TV)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 21
Collections: Fic In A Box





	never about eve

**Author's Note:**

  * For [sidewinder](https://archiveofourown.org/users/sidewinder/gifts).



> There is no real Eve-bashing in this fic, just some minor ill feeling towards her from Linda, and in this universe, baby Charlie and that entire storyline simply do not exist.

Linda gave her a month.

A month, she decided, in her professional opinion as best friend, was by far enough time for Maze to have stopped lying around the house looking sorry for herself.

In her professional opinion as a therapist, she should probably have cut her a little more slack, but this was Maze, damn it, and Linda only wanted what was best for her.

Eve leaving hit her hard, and Linda knew that, and she sympathised. She knew how hard it was for Maze to open herself up like that only to be hurt. She knew that Maze ended up feeling like she came second best to Lucifer once again. But Linda also knew what was best for Maze, having been her closest friend for several years now, with only a brief intermission where they were sworn enemies.

Water under the bridge.

And what was best for Maze was to be out in the world, sometimes pouring drinks at Lux, other times catching wanted criminals, and at all times, generally causing havoc. That was the Maze they all knew and loved. The Maze currently lying on Linda’s couch watching a marathon of a trashy talk show for the third day in a row was pitiful in comparison.

Also, Linda really missed being able to sit on her couch.

So, she gave it a month, and now time was up. She was ready to fix Maze. Maze did not have a choice in the matter.

“We’re going on vacation.”

Maze’s reaction was slow, if that. She merely slid her eyes over to look at Linda, who was perched on the armchair looking eager, and then slid them back to the show she was watching. She’d lost track of what was happening several arguments ago, but someone had just stormed off the set so it was getting juicy.

“Hey. Hey, Maze. I said we’re going on vacation.”

Linda had that tone of voice which told Maze she wasn’t getting away with ignoring her, so Maze sat up, crossing her legs and looking at Linda with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t do vacations.”

Linda smiled, in a way that suggested that was about to change and Maze couldn’t do a thing to stop it, and Maze couldn’t help the corner of her mouth turning up just a little. She’d been a demon for hundreds of years, and managed to meet her match in the form of a five foot one therapist who didn’t know when to quit.

“You do now, sweetie.”

Two sets of plane tickets landed on the coffee table in front of Maze, along with the fake passport Maze had had made when she started bounty hunting. A fake passport she knew she had last left at Lucifer’s place, which meant he was most likely in on the plan, another victim to Linda’s relentlessness.

With a sigh, Maze leaned forward to scan the plane tickets and snorted.

“Mexico?” she asked, a little surprised.

“Mexico,” Linda confirmed, a gleam in her eye. Maze figured it was probably the thought of all those margaritas.

“Okay, doc. Maybe I can do Mexico.”

“I knew you’d say that. I’ve packed your things.”

“Excuse me?”

“Well, we leave tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Maze asked, grabbing at the plane tickets and seeing that, yes, the flights were booked for tomorrow morning.

“It’s only a week. At an all-inclusive hotel. All you need is you, some swimwear, some evening dresses, and a hipflask. All of which I have packed for you.”

“How many knives did you pack?” Maze asked casually.

“Knives- Maze, I didn’t pack any knives. We’re going on vacation.”

“You didn’t pack any knives?” 

Maze was confused. Knives were an essential. They ranked above underwear.

“What? No. No, of course I didn’t pack any knives, Maze. Why would you possibly need knives?”

“For threats,” Maze said, as if it were simple. 

“There will be no threats,” Linda assured her, her eyes wide in an expression of disbelief and mild horror that only Maze had ever been able to achieve. “Just. Just you, me, sand, sun and sangria.”

Maze raised both eyebrows this time, and Linda rolled her eyes.

“Oh, you know what I mean.”

“Fine, fine,” Maze said, raising her hands. 

She knew she wasn’t winning this argument, and the plane tickets were right there in front of her. She couldn’t exactly refuse unless she wanted to feel the full extent of Linda’s wrath, and no one wanted that. The woman gave Maze’s colleagues back home a run for their money.

Linda smiled triumphantly.

“What time does the flight leave?” Maze asked, standing up and brushing crumbs off herself. 

Linda narrowed her eyes a little, but let it go. “Eleven tomorrow morning. We have to be at the airport for nine.”

“Then I will see you there.”

“Wait, what? Where are you going?” Linda asked. Maze hadn’t left her house in over three weeks, but she was choosing now to go off on her own?

“I’ve got stuff to do,” Maze said cryptically, and Linda shook her head. She didn’t know why she bothered asking.

“Okay, well. Make sure you’re there on time.”

“I will be,” Maze assured her. “And with a properly packed bag.”

The last part was said pointedly, and Linda sighed.

“Fine. Fine. Go pack your knives. Your suitcase is in my room.”

Maze wandered past her with a smirk, and returned shortly after holding the case, which Linda had taken great care in packing, rolling all the clothes up so they didn’t crease, and tucking everything in snugly so nothing moved around. God only knew what state it would be in after Maze had been at it.

As Linda gathered the tickets and paperwork back up, Maze headed for the front door, and then paused, turning back to look at Linda.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked, not unkindly, just curious.

“Maze,” Linda said, both fond and exasperated. “You’ve been lying on my couch for so long, my blankets are about to get up and walk away from you themselves. You need to get out of the house, I need a break, and we both need to clear our heads with unholy amounts of alcohol.”

Maze considered her answer for a long while, and then nodded.

“Mexico it is.”

* * *

Lucifer was, of course, in on the plan.

“I need Maze’s passport,” Linda had announced, stepping out Lucifer’s private elevator like she owned the place.

“Do I get to ask why, or do I just hand it over?” Lucifer had asked, blinking, from where he sat shirtless at the piano, a glass of whiskey balanced nearby.

“You can ask why, just as long as you also hand it over,” Linda smiled, hands on her hips.

Lucifer smirked, and then disappeared into his bedroom, returning with the document in hand.

Linda reached out for it, and Lucifer pulled it back.

“Doctor... do tell what’s going on.”

“We’re going on vacation,” Linda announced, and Lucifer barked out a laugh before realising she was serious.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“But... but _Maze_.”

“I know.”

“But... but why?”

“To cheer her up. Help her get over Eve.”

At this, Lucifer’s eyes narrowed, and then he started smiling. “And you’re doing this out of the kindness of your own heart?”

“Yes, of course,” Linda said, a little defensively, and Lucifer’s smile grew broader.

“So your only motive for helping Maze get over Eve is being a good friend? Nothing more?”

“Nothing more.”

“Oh, pull the other one,” Lucifer laughed, and Linda sighed, folding her arms.

“What now?”

“Bloody hell, doctor, I know you think I’m all about me, but I’m not blind. You can say you fancy Maze, I won’t judge. I’ve been there, she’s very, very talent-“

“Okay!” Linda stopped him, rolling her eyes. “Fine, yes. I want to help Maze get over Eve because she deserves to get over Eve, and to be happy. But if she finds out that someone else makes her happy...”

“...you’ll be even happier,” Lucifer finished with a smirk.

Linda shrugged.

“Enjoy Mexico,” he laughed, tossing the passport over to her with a wink. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”

\---

Maze stayed true to her word and met Linda in the airport bar for half eight, two glasses of champagne already waiting for her, which Linda thought was very sweet. She still had a sad, slightly lost look in her eyes, but she was doing her best to hold a conversation and feign excitement for the trip, which Linda appreciated. And she suspected that maybe the smallest part of Maze maybe was excited for the trip.

There were no problems checking in their luggage, which was astounding given that Maze had packed enough weapons to take down a small army, and they were given two seats in the back row of the plane. Linda was thrilled to be able to recline her seat guilt-free, and Maze immediately started charming the plane staff to score more alcohol.

It seemed like a good idea at first, to carry on where they left off with the champagne. Linda watched Maze flirt and giggle, and she tried so hard to laugh, because Maze was funny, and hell, free spirits were always a good thing, but as she watched Maze act like that with total strangers, the laugh got caught in her throat a little. It came out almost strangled instead, and Maze shot her a strange look, while Linda desperately tried to shake Lucifer’s words from a few days earlier out of her mind.

Still, the words remained, and so did the unsettled feeling, and if she was honest with herself, the relief Linda felt when they landed in Mexico probably went beyond just being grateful for a safe landing.

Maze shot her a few more sideways glances during their mostly silent taxi ride to the hotel, but once they arrived, any lingering feelings from the flight disappeared, the both of them rendered speechless.

The hotel was sumptuous, oozing decadence. Linda had taken a ‘no expense spared’ mentality when she’d booked the trip, focused only on shaking Maze from her funk, and she’d wanted all-inclusive so that they didn’t need to do anything but lounge around and enjoying being waited on hand and foot.

This was pretty spectacular though, and Linda was secretly thrilled at seeing Maze’s mouth form a little ‘o’ for a moment, before she righted herself and let out a low whistle. 

“Damn, Linda. This is nice.”

“Isn’t it?” Linda said too quickly, over-eager in her excitement. 

She nearly tripped over herself as she rushed into the lobby, ready to check in and see their rooms. Maze hung back, admiring the exterior, before following Linda inside, which as expected, was as extravagant as the outside. There was a strange feeling in Maze’s stomach, one she hadn’t felt in a while, or maybe ever, as she thought about how Linda arranged all of this with Maze in mind.

The feeling was confusing, and there was nothing Maze hated more than confusing, so she squashed it right down, flashing Linda a brilliant smile when she turned around with their keycards. Maze was just touched that Linda brought her on vacation, is all. That was really all there was to it. Linda was just a great friend, and Maze was lucky to have her, and hey, she hadn’t thought about Eve for five whole minutes, so lost in being awed at the hotel, so something was working.

“...and they said we can either order breakfast to our rooms, or we can go to the restaurant.”

Maze zoned back in to Linda’s babbling, giving her a bunch of information they both knew was useless, since Maze would just be following Linda’s lead for the entire holiday.

“I’m in 252, and you’re in 254; I booked us adjoining rooms, if that’s okay? I thought that way, we could hang out if you wanted to, but if you want your privacy, you can just lock the door, and if it’s locked, I won’t bother you, and-“

“It sounds great,” Maze cut her off, gently, and Linda blinked in surprise. Maze didn’t usually do gentle.

“Okay,” Linda nodded, and she looked and sounded so pleased with everything that Maze couldn’t help but smile. “The elevators are this way. They offered to take our bags for us, but...”

Maze’s nostrils flared at the idea of being separated from her knives any longer, and Linda nodded. “Yeah. That.”

The hotel was so fancy, even the elevators were stylish, but nothing had prepared them for seeing their rooms. They entered Linda’s first, their eyes widening at the sight of it. Bigger than Linda’s entire living room, there was a huge bed in the centre of the room, surrounded by beautiful furniture, and a television so big it would look out of place in Lucifer’s apartment. 

Linda gasped, dropping her suitcase on the spot and racing over to the bed, launching herself into the middle of it with a squeal of delight. Maze tried desperately to hide how adorable she found this, but when Linda looked over at her, grinning from amongst the pile of cushions, she couldn’t help but smile back.

“Okay,” Linda said, scrambling back out of the bed and trying to re-claim her dignity, smoothing her clothes back down and adjusting her hair. “Why don’t you take your stuff to your room, we’ll get freshened up, and then go down to the bar for drinks?”

“Sounds good to me,” Maze nodded, turning back to leave Linda’s room and enter her own. “I’ll see you in a few.”

Alone in her room, Linda watched the door close behind Maze, hoping she had done the right thing by dragging her out here. 

* * *

An afternoon spent by the pool with Maze went about as well as Linda could have expected. 

After they’d both gotten suitably tipsy on margaritas, they’d gone back to their rooms to change into their swimwear, promising to meet again outside. Linda arrived first, grabbing a couple of beds next to each other and arranging her towel, glasses and book so that she could settle in for an afternoon of sun.

She was only alerted to Maze’s presence when everyone else around the pool turned their heads, like a slow wave, one after another. Linda sat upright to see what was happening, only to find Maze stalking towards her, wearing only a skimpy black bikini and five inch heels.

Mouth suddenly dry, Linda laughed nervously, and then waved at Maze, who smiled at her and strode over, seemingly oblivious to the way every single person in the hotel was currently fixated on her.

“Hey,” Maze greeted her, plopping down on to the bed Linda had saved her.

“Wow,” Linda said in response, smiling around at everyone else until they went back to what they were doing. “Wow, okay, wow, so. You know in that case I packed?”

“Yeah?” Maze prompted, looking at Linda earnestly.

“Yeah, the case, with the dresses and the wraps, along with the bikinis.” Maze nodded, looking at her with furrowed eyebrows, not following. “Well normally people wear those sorts of things, over the top of their swimwear. Just while we’re walking around?”

“I don’t get it,” Maze said after a beat. “I thought bikinis were the underwear we were allowed to wear without clothes?”

“Uhh, yes, I suppose that’s what they are,” Linda said, scratching her head a little. “But just... just in general, people only wear _just_ the bikinis when they’re right next to the pool, or on the beach. So maybe pop one of the dresses on just to come down here in?”

Maze looked unconvinced. “Whatever. I didn’t pack those dresses though, so.”

Linda blinked. “What? They were... they were right there in your case, I put them in.”

“I took them out,” Maze shrugged. “Had to make room for the knives.”

“Oh my god. So what, you just came here with some bikinis, evening dresses and underwear?”

“Had to sacrifice the underwear too.”

Maze’s tone was far too nonchalant for Linda, who was already reeling. The knowledge that Maze had zero underwear packed was making her mouth go dry again, and she was definitely blushing because Maze was smirking at her.

“Have you ever been on a holiday before?” Linda hissed, glancing around to see if anyone happened to be listening into their conversation on Maze’s lack of decent clothing.

“Clearly not the type of holiday you go on,” Maze laughed, and with that, she kicked her heels off and lay back on the recliner, closing her eyes. “You need to lighten up.”

Linda looked at her speechless, and then lay down herself, wondering how she was meant to last a week. 

No, it was fine. It was fine. It was _fine_. This was still a good idea, and even if Maze might need a little help adjusting to being on vacation, it would be a good thing for helping her get over Eve. In fact, Linda thought it might already be working, since in the time they’d been here, Maze hadn’t looked mopey once. Definitely a good thing.

The hotel staff kept their cocktail glasses topped up all afternoon, and by the time the sun started to go down, Linda was feeling pleasantly buzzed. For the most part, Maze seemed pretty content too - she’d huffed a few times, wondering how Linda could possibly be entertained just lying on a sunbed for hours on end, still unconvinced when Linda waved her book at her, but a reminder that she could actually go swimming if she wanted to provided a suitable distraction.

As they were packing their things up though, Linda noticed Maze checking her phone, and frowned. She stayed quiet, unsure of how to play the situation. On the one hand, she hadn’t specified no phones, and there was every chance Maze was waiting for a message from Lucifer, or even Chloe. On the other, that was fairly unlikely, and the scowl Maze was wearing suggested she was waiting for a text that likely wasn’t going to come, which meant only one thing: Eve.

Linda sighed softly. Maybe it was for the best. The sooner Maze realised that Eve probably wasn’t coming back, the sooner she could start moving on. As much as it probably hurt, everyone knew a clean break was the best kind. She just wished Maze would share her feelings with her, rather than silently glaring at her phone but plastering a smile on each time she caught Linda looking at her.

Clearly not finding what she was looking for on her phone, Maze scowled, then stuffed her towel into a bag with particular force, before turning to Linda, clearly ready to leave.

“Looking forward to seeing what fancy food this place has?” Maze asked brightly, which was suspicious considering her usual disposition, and general apathy towards things regular people found exciting.

“Sure am,” Linda said, smiling back at her, and hoping her eyes weren’t too narrowed.

“Great. Meet you outside the restaurant?” Maze asked, already walking away.

“Okay,” Linda called after her, shaking her head at Maze’s back. “I’ll... I’ll see you there. In a bit. At a time we haven’t decided. Great.”

* * *

Linda took her time getting ready. Since Maze hadn’t stuck around long enough to agree the details, she could wait if need be. If she really needed her, she could always enter through their adjoining door, although Linda suspected that Maze’s door remained locked for the time being. Regardless, she’d come and find her when she was ready, and god help her when she did; Linda was dressed to kill, even if she did say so herself. 

She’d known the hotel was fancy, and had packed accordingly, though she was probably going a little overboard, but what was the harm in having some fun? A ruby red dress, some killer heels, matching lipstick; Linda looked every inch the part, and was studiously ignoring the voice in her head which sounded a lot like Lucifer’s.

Finally there was a knock at the door, and Linda pulled it open, finding Maze on the other side.

“Holy- damn, Linda,” Maze said, appraising her from head to toe and seemingly approving of what she was seeing. “You look- wow.”

Linda laughed lightly, trying to ignore the way her stomach was somersaulting.

“Thank you,” Linda said, looking up at her friend. “That’s very kind of you. You also look incredible, obviously.”

She gestured to Maze’s standard attire of various pieces of black leather, all thrown together in an outfit that looked runway-ready. Why she’d tacked on the word ‘obviously’, she didn’t know.

“Thanks,” Maze said, a little softer than usual, and after a moment of awkward silence which both of them were unused to, motioned for them to head downstairs to the restaurant.

On their way down, Linda received several approving stares, and arrived in the entrance of the hotel feeling suitably flattered and also flustered, her cheeks pink according to the mirrors in the elevator. Smoothing her dress down subconsciously, she hurried towards the restaurant with her eyes down, not registering that Maze couldn’t stop staring.

They were seated at a table in a bay window, overlooking the now perfectly still swimming pool, the lights of the hotel sparkling in its reflection. Soft music floated from the speakers, and the single red rose in a vase in the middle of the table matched Linda’s dress perfectly.

The atmosphere suddenly felt incredibly heavy, and they were both thankful when a waiter came to take their drinks orders.

“I really had no idea this place would be so fancy,” Maze laughed, gesturing to their surroundings, and Linda laughed with her, unsure of what to say.

“Yeah,” she opted for in response, her stomach shrivelling upon hearing such a lame answer come from her own mouth.

They sat in silence after that, both studying the menu, and the interruption of the waiter with their drinks was a welcome distraction. Once they’d placed their orders, Maze levelled her gaze, and Linda’s eyes widened under Maze’s scrutiny.

“Okay, out with it.”

Trying her best not to choke on her drink, Linda raised her eyebrows at Maze, wondering what the hell she was talking about. Could she know? Did Linda have a tell? How else could Maze possibly know that Linda’s insides were completely scrambled right now, and it had everything to do with the way Maze had first looked at her outside the hotel room?

“Out with what?” Linda asked innocently, trying to play it cool.

“You’re a terrible liar,” Maze smirked, and Linda held her breath. “Eve.”

Hearing Maze say Eve’s name was like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water on her.

Instantly focusing all of her attention on not letting her face fall, Linda smiled tightly. “Eve? What about her?”

“Oh come off it, I know the real reason you dragged me here. To help me get over her.”

“Yep,” Linda nodded, because sure, it was true. She had indeed brought Maze here to help her move on, and if Eve was all Maze was still thinking about right now, so be it. “Yep, okay, you got me. I thought a vacation would help take your mind off things.”

“You knew I was feeling lousy?” Maze asked, curious and seemingly very serious.

“Maze... you spent weeks on my couch. Weeks.”

“...fair point.”

“So yeah, I thought a vacation might help. And Maze...”

Linda paused, and Maze looked up at her expectantly, biting into a breadstick.

“I am sorry about Eve. She shouldn’t have left the way she did. With no warning. It wasn’t fair.”

Maze was silent for a long time after that, still chewing on her breadstick thoughtfully, staring out of the window.

“I guess so,” she said eventually, and Linda did feel a tug of sympathy in her heart, in amongst all the other confusing feelings she was trying to ignore. “I just- I thought we had something, yknow? I opened up to her, and... well. I guess she didn’t feel the same way.”

Linda nodded along kindly, understanding, and Maze scoffed, shaking her head.

“I’m an idiot.”

“Maze. You’re not an idiot,” Linda said firmly.

Maze looked at her, the slightest hint of vulnerability in her eyes, and then it was gone, and Maze was smiling again.

“Well, lesson learnt. Having feelings is way overrated.” Linda raised her glass in a cheers to that. “But thank you for dragging me out here. I think I needed it.”

“It’s nothing,” Linda said, brushing the comment away. “The least I could do.”

“I mean it,” Maze said, reaching out her hand and placing it over Linda’s. “You’re a great friend, Linda, I’m lucky to have you.”

 _Friend_. Maze was still talking, but Linda had no idea what she was saying, just nodding along, even as she felt electricity where Maze’s fingertips were resting on the back of her hand, and an icy cold grip on her heart as she tried to wrap her head around why that word settled so heavily in her stomach.

“I’m lucky to have you too, Mazikeen,” Linda returned, forcing the smile back on to her face. “And there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”  
Maze raised her glass again, which Linda met with a stilted motion, and then their food arrived, and the need for any more small talk had dissipated. 

They continued the rest of the meal almost in silence, and while Linda was sure Maze felt like it was the comfortable silence between friends they’d sat in many times before, for Linda, every minute dragged. She’d barely set her knife and fork back on the plate before she started to make her excuses to retire back to the room.

“You don’t want any more cocktails?” Maze asked, a wicked glint in her eyes.

“I uhh, I think I’ve actually had enough for today,” Linda said, trying to keep her tone light. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

“Oh. Okay,” Maze said, sounding a little taken aback, but brushing it off easily and nodding. “Sure. See you tomorrow. I’ll be in the bar if you change your mind though.”

Knowing she wasn’t going to change her mind, Linda nodded at Maze, and then hurried out of the restaurant. The glances she attracted on the way back to her room felt different than they did before; they felt wrong, and unwelcome, and she found herself feeling silly so dolled up just for a meal with her _friend_.

As she settled into bed, Linda tried to remind herself that they were, in fact, here to help Maze move on from Eve, and not to help Linda sort out her muddled feelings, and that getting rattled when hearing Eve’s name wasn’t conducive to her plan at all. 

And yet here she was. 

* * *

The next morning, Linda was ready to shake things off and start again. She told herself that she’d just been frazzled yesterday; it was their first day here, and they’d basically stepped off the plane and into the bar, and her glass hadn’t been empty for the rest of the afternoon.

Today she just needed to relax, maybe not drink quite so much, and not overthink everything. They were here to have fun, to forget their worries, and most importantly, get Maze back on her feet, so that Linda would have her couch to herself again when they got home.

They were not here for Linda’s long-buried feelings regarding her best friend to suddenly come bubbling to the surface; those feelings could stay exactly where they were, thank you very much. Even with Maze looking like that in a bikini.

Linda hadn’t heard Maze get back from the bar last night, so she assumed it had been a late one. As such, she didn’t disturb her at the crack of dawn when she herself got up for breakfast, assuming Maze would meet her later.

And she did. 

And the day went very similarly to the one before. Linda positioned herself around the pool. Maze appeared later in the morning wearing very little, causing Linda’s jaw to drop briefly before righting herself, and then they sat and they sunbathed and they drank, and exchanged pleasant conversation.

And the evening followed suit. Maze knocked on her bedroom door. Linda appeared wearing a stunning green cocktail dress, enough to make Maze blink and stay silent for a few moments before righting herself, and then they went to dinner and they laughed and they ate, and exchanged pleasant conversation.

And every day after that went the same way.

It was all very lovely, and absolutely _infuriating_.

Linda couldn’t shake Lucifer’s words from her mind, and every time she glanced up at Maze, her friend looked miles away, clearly deep in thought around Eve and everything they’d discussed that first night.

“This is ridiculous,” Maze said, slamming her fork down suddenly.

Linda nearly jumped out of her seat, dragged back from staring at her steak listlessly to find Maze staring at her.

It was their final night, their final dinner of the vacation, and they’d barely exchanged two words all evening. Maze was wearing a short black playsuit that showed off her endless legs and had Linda gulping her wine down, while the neckline of Linda’s dress ended just below her cleavage, and Maze had been pointedly staring at her chest for most of the meal.

“What?” Linda asked, still startled.

“Why did you bring me here?” Maze asked, pushing her plate away and sitting back, folding her arms and fixing Linda with a look that said it was time to talk.

“To help you get over Eve,” Linda replied instantly, well-versed at this point.

“You could have taken me anywhere,” Maze countered. “We could have gone to a bar in LA and it would have taken my mind off things.”

“Well, I wanted to do something special,” Linda said, feeling a little defensive.

“But why?” Maze pressed.

“Because you deserve it.”

“You would never have done this for Decker, or Ellen, or anyone else.”

“Well they’re not my best friend, Maze. You are.”

“And that’s all this is? You brought me all the way to Mexico and paid for this ridiculous hotel and packed _that_ wardrobe because we’re _best friends_?”

Linda narrowed her eyes.

“Yes.”

Maze paused.

“I don’t believe you.”

Linda sucked in a breath.

“What do you want me to say here, Maze?” she asked, voice low and irritated. “I saw you hurting over Eve, and I was furious, because she had no right to leave you like that, and I was sad, because I’d never seen you that sad. So I thought I’d take you on vacation to help take your mind off things, but instead you’ve sat here moping for the entire week, and-“

“Moping? Moping? You’ve barely said anything to me all week, what else am I meant to do but think about everything that happened?”

“That’s not fair, Maze. I was giving you space, waiting for you to come and talk to me, but you never do, and there’s only so many times I can push the topic.”

“No, there isn’t, Linda. I want you to keep pushing, I always want you to keep pushing.”

“Why? This isn’t on me, Maze, I shouldn’t have to be the one who keeps trying to get through to you, I shouldn’t be the one who has to keep putting herself out there just-“

“Well I need you to be,” Maze hissed. 

Linda frowned, holding her arms out in question. “What?”

Maze sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. “I need you to be the one who keeps pushing, because I’ve made myself clear enough, Linda, but I don’t want to force something on to you that you don’t want.”

Linda blinked, trying to process the words she was hearing.

“Maze... I brought you here to help you get over Eve.”

“And it was never about Eve, Linda. It was about me finding someone who I thought, for the first time, cared about me the same amount as I cared about her, and in the same way, but I was wrong, again, and she left, _again_ , like everyone always does.”

Linda let out a long sigh. “Maze.”

“Don’t... don’t say anything if you’re just about to give me sympathy. I don’t want sympathy. I just... I want to know where we stand.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean... I’m not very good with human feelings still, and I don’t always understand everything, but sometimes it feels like you want more than just friendship between us, and I...” Linda waited, holding her breath. “Am I imagining it, Linda? God, I sound like Decker, I-“

“Maze.”

The tone of Linda’s voice was enough to have Maze closing her eyes, suddenly looking like she regretted everything, and so Linda hurriedly reached out to rest her hand on top of Maze’s.

The hopeful look in Maze’s eyes as she looked back up made Linda’s stomach flip.

“No, you’re not imagining it. I just... I met you, and then I found out about everything, and I needed time to process. And then we both met other people, and we just couldn’t seem to get our timings right. But... you’re not imagining it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why wouldn’t I be sure?”

“Well, you slept with Amenadiel. You were married.”

“ _You_ slept with Amenadiel.”

“...fair point.”

“And yes, I was married, and it didn’t work out, and I haven’t felt anything for anyone in a long, long time, but...”

Maze peered up at her, looking almost vulnerable, and it was such a foreign expression to see on her beautiful features.

“But what?”

“But then I met Lucifer, and then I met you, and eventually, everything changed.”

Maze studied her for a long time, silently, and then her face split into the brightest smile Linda had ever seen.

“Me too.”

“But Maze,” Linda began, and Maze frowned again. “I didn’t bring you on vacation under the pretence of helping you get over Eve just to do this, to say all of this. I didn’t plan to say it at all.”

“I know,” Maze assured her lightly. “But like I said... it was never about Eve. For me, it always comes back to you. I just never thought that ‘you’ were an option... until now.”

Linda let herself smile this time, the intensity of it matching Maze’s.

“Well, now you know.”

They sat there, smiling at each other, for a long while, looking goofy and basking in the afterglow of the confession.

“So I know we don’t have long left here,” Linda said eventually. “But after we finish up here... can I take you to the bar on a date?”

Maze nodded, and then smirked.

“What?” 

“I spoke to Lucifer before we flew out here. Might have placed a bet. He owes me his car.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, sidewinder! I hope I did these two justice for you! It was my first time writing them, but I've wanted to do something for them for ages, so thank you for giving me an excuse! I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this fic as much as I did writing it!
> 
> Edit: Realised there was a problem when this fic got published, and some of it disappeared; I think it's all here now, but let me know if any problems remain!


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